Chapter 659

Ji Feihua coldly interrupted his words, saying: "Nobody can be clear about the affairs of this world; the moon has its waxing and waning, people have sudden fortune and misfortune; the Emperor will also fall ill, and will also encounter troubles."

Wen Chenghuan broke out in cold sweat down his back; he forced himself to stay calm and said: "Who has the Emperor appointed as crown prince?"

Ji Feihua smiled and said: "In fact, Grand Preceptor Wen should be able to guess; the Emperor has not only decided on the crown prince, but has also drafted an edict that precisely mentions you, Grand Preceptor Wen."

Wen Chenghuan's heart was filled with anxiety; he of course understood that this edict could not possibly be genuine. Since Ji Feihua has come bearing an edict, why does she delay proclaiming it? This time she has come to force him to declare his stance. If he remains obstinate and still sides with the Third Prince, Ji Feihua will likely strike him down mercilessly, and that so‑called edict will probably cost him his life.

Wen Chenghuan drew a deep breath, closed his eyes, pondered for a moment, then said in a low voice: "If I am not mistaken, the Emperor has surely chosen the Eldest Prince; the eldest son inheriting the throne is the ancient principle. The Eldest Prince is benevolent and loves the people as his own children—indeed he is the most suitable candidate."

A smug smile curled Ji Feihua's lips. Although Wen Chenghuan is old, he is not senile; those who understand the times are heroes, and knowing how to adjust to the wind is how one barely survives. In this palace upheaval, Ji Feihua does not wish to stir a bloody storm. Wen Chenghuan, after all, is the Grand Preceptor of a state; though Ji Feihua would love to be rid of him, now is not the moment. She must let him live a while longer, and must have him personally help Long Tingzhen ascend the throne.

Ji Feihua said: "Quan De'an has bewitched the Third Prince, plotting to usurp the throne; the evidence is solid. Grand Preceptor Wen, how do you think this matter should be handled?"

Wen Chenghuan said: "If there is concrete evidence, Quan De'an's crime is unforgivable; he should be beheaded publicly to warn others. As for the Third Prince, the matter should be memorialized to the Emperor for a final decision."

Ji Feihua smiled and said: "Grand Preceptor Wen speaks sense. The crown prince is, after all, young. Having ascended the throne hastily, he still lacks experience in many matters. I have a suggestion; I wonder what Grand Preceptor Wen thinks?"

Wen Chenghuan said: "Commander, please speak." After a while, his address to Ji Feihua changed from "father-in-law" to "Commander". Ji Feihua came prepared; judging from the present situation, she should already have grasped the overall picture. To resist would be unwise. Wen Chenghuan does not fear death, but he will not let his ambitions go unfulfilled and die before achieving them. If he were to die obscurely at Ji Feihua's hands, the decades of his enduring hardship, his sleeping on firewood and tasting gall, would be in vain, and his son's sacrifice would become meaningless.

Ji Feihua said: "We can select several Regent Ministers to assist in governance. The Empress believes that Grand Preceptor Wen is one of the most suitable candidates."

Wen Chenghuan said: "I dare not accept such praise; Commander is the most suitable choice."

Ji Feihua chuckled and said: "Dakang has had statutes since ancient times; I dare not meddle in state affairs. Grand Preceptor Wen and Chancellor Zhou are senior officials of the court; let the two of you continue to assist His Highness the Crown Prince. Dakang will surely encounter no turmoil. The Empress will hold court from behind the screen, letting the crown prince temporarily handle governmental affairs. If the Emperor's illness can be cured, then all will be well as heaven follows human wishes; if the Emperor's ailment is deep and incurable, having the crown prince in charge will still prevent Dakang from falling into chaos. This period will be a good opportunity to see whether His Highness the Crown Prince possesses the ability to govern the state and secure the borders. What does Grand Preceptor Wen think?"

Wen Chenghuan nodded and said: "Good! Commander, you have indeed thought things through thoroughly."

Ji Feihua said: "Grand Preceptor Wen still needs to prepare. Tomorrow at the morning audience, you will still need to preside over the overall situation; among the officials you are the most virtuous and prestigious."

In the streets and alleys of Kangdu, patrols of troops were everywhere; many people felt uneasy. Dakang Chancellor Zhou Ruizhen heard that several gates of the Chancellor's residence had been sealed, and his heart grew heavy of its own accord. He was about to go out in person to inquire when he heard a report: an edict had arrived at the palace and was waiting in the front hall.

Zhou Ruizhen arrived at the front hall, only to see a woman in a black cloak standing with her back to him, gazing at the banner in the central hall. Zhou Ruizhen secretly wondered, not knowing who this woman was.

Upon hearing footsteps, the woman slowly turned around. Zhou Ruizhen's eyes widened in astonishment; he never expected that this late‑night visitor was none other than the present Empress of Dakang. Zhou Ruizhen hurriedly knelt, saying: "Your subject did not know that the Empress would grace my humble abode; I failed to welcome you properly and beg your forgiveness."

Empress Jian waved her hand; the two eunuchs who had followed her left, closing the hall's doors from outside. The dim yellow light illuminated Empress Jian's pallid face. For her, this night has been a tumult of emotions; she has never before endured such immense pressure, which is nearly suffocating her.

"Beloved official, rise!"

Only then did Zhou Ruizhen dare to rise, and he said respectfully: "Empress, what are your orders?" Yet a heavy gloom settled in his heart; he had already sensed that tonight's troop movements in Kangdu and the appearance of Empress Jian were inevitably connected.

Empress Jian suddenly dropped to her knees; Zhou Ruizhen was greatly startled and hastily knelt before her, exclaiming: "Empress, are you trying to kill your subject?"

Empress Jian said: "Sir Zhou, save my palace, save Dakang!"

"Please rise, Empress; if you remain like this, even ten thousand deaths could not absolve me of guilt."

Empress Jian then rose with tears in her eyes; Zhou Ruizhen invited her to sit, and she choked out: "Zhou, my beloved official, the Emperor has suddenly gone mad, killing two palace attendants in the Xuanweigong; moreover, he seeks to kill me and my poor son."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Ruizhen already understood that tonight the court must have experienced a world‑shaking upheaval; Empress Jian's opening remarks are merely a prelude to what she has already done. How could the Emperor suddenly go mad? Whether true or false, one thing is certain: the Emperor has already been brought under their control. Zhou Ruizhen knows that the Emperor has recently been preparing to name a crown prince, and his innermost inclination is to appoint the Third Prince, Long Tingzhen. Zhou Ruizhen does not agree with the Emperor's view, and he has subtly expressed his opposition, but this Dakang emperor simply would not listen, insisting on his own way, which has led to today's situation.

Empress Jian said: "Before the Emperor went mad, he had already drafted an edict deciding to make Long Ting sheng the crown prince; but after completing that, he inexplicably went mad."

Zhou Ruizhen sighed and said: "Your Majesty, the imperial constitution is frail; this is truly Dakang's misfortune."

Empress Jian said: "The Emperor's mind is clouded; I, the Empress, am at a loss. What should we do?"

Zhou Ruizhen calmly said: "Empress, whose advice brought you here?" He realized that a late‑night visit to his residence was unlikely to be the Empress's own idea.

Empress Jian said: "No one advised me; the only person I can think of is you, my beloved official."

Zhou Ruizhen said: "Empress, what do you intend to do?"

Empress Jian said: "The Emperor is raving mad; what can I do? If I had a solution, I would not have come in the middle of the night to ask you, my beloved official, for advice."

Zhou Ruizhen said in a low voice: "The Emperor is under auspicious stars; perhaps his condition will yet turn for the better."

Empress Jian said: "I have already sent someone to Xuantian Guan to summon Miss Qin; perhaps she can cure the Emperor."

Zhou Ruizhen's heart suddenly tightened; he understood that Empress Jian was not speaking idly—this woman was threatening him. He sighed inwardly, reflecting that he had devoted himself wholeheartedly to Dakang, exhausting himself day and night for state affairs, while the imperial family was not united in seeking to revive Dakang's prestige, but instead schemed for power, spouses turned against each other, parent and child slaughtered one another. Zhou Ruizhen's last hope for the Dakang dynasty had been utterly shattered; for a moment he felt disheartened, all thoughts extinguished, and he slowly nodded, saying: "I will exert every effort to assist the crown prince. I will serve Dakang loyally, give my all, and die only after fulfilling my duty."

Empress Jian said: "The Emperor has appointed two Regent Ministers: you and Grand Preceptor Wen."

Zhou Ruizhen already understood in his heart that Wen Chenghuan had consistently supported the Third Prince as crown prince, but now he had suddenly switched sides, abandoning the Third Prince to join the Eldest Prince's camp; it seems he must have faced an irresistible external force, and his situation is likely even worse than mine. Zhou Ruizhen said: "Empress, I have a remark I do not know whether I should utter."

Empress Jian said: "Zhou, my beloved official, the Emperor and I have always trusted you above all; speak freely whatever is on your mind."

Zhou Ruizhen said: "I once told the Emperor that present‑day Dakang is like a gravely ill person who cannot tolerate a overly strong medicine."

Empress Jian slowly nodded and said: "I understand; rest assured, Dakang has always been the realm of the Long clan, and Long Ting sheng is a benevolent person who will certainly not engage in wanton killing."

Inside the Palace of Storage and Elegance, the little princess Qiqi sat quietly in the study; the Commander of the Directorate of Rites, Quan De'an, stood opposite her with a grim expression, his whole person wilting like a frost‑struck eggplant.

Qiqi whispered: "At this very moment, the Mansion of Grace and Favor has been taken over by Ji Feihua; if you were still there, you would probably already be dead."

Quan De'an drew a deep breath and said: "Many thanks, my young master, for saving my life."

Qiqi said: "You once spared no effort to save me; in this imperial palace I owe no one else, only you. Therefore, no matter how great the risk, I will still rescue you."

Quan De'an said gloomily: "This old servant's death is not worth mourning; the only pity is that my ambitions remain unfulfilled as I watch helplessly while Ji Feihua's treacherous faction runs rampant."

Qiqi said: "You are not powerless; my father's ascension to the throne also owed much to you. Yet you should not have incited him to oppose Ji Feihua, and choosing my third imperial brother as heir was a mistake compounded upon mistake. The hundred‑thousand‑strong Feather Forest Army is entirely under his command; do you really think you could easily eliminate him?"

Quan De'an blamed himself: "It is this old servant who has harmed Your Majesty."

Qiqi said indifferently: "He never had that ability to begin with; even if you granted him greater power, he would still be controlled by others."

Quan De'an's heart gave a start; at first he thought he had misheard, but he quickly realized that the "he" Qiqi referred to was her father, the present Dakang emperor, Long Yelin. No matter what, for a child to speak thus is still disrespectful.

This month's updates have already been diligent, but the monthly tickets ran out of steam in the middle of the month, while the story has reached a turning point; Zhangyu has exhausted himself, working hard, so please, everyone, cast a few more monthly tickets to give Zhangyu some encouragement; Zhangyu is deeply grateful! (To be continued~^~)